Hastinapura;
One hundred and four princes and their one and only little princess are playing in the Orchard while the remaining two, Prince Duryodhana, the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, and Prince Bhima, the second son of Pandu and Kunti, were walking towards a tent that was built near the shore of a lake.
As they reached the tent, Prince Bhima saw such a wide variety of food and started to salivate. Prince Duryodhana said with a smile, "It's been two years since you, Pandavas, reached Hastinapur. In these past years, we, the Kauravas, never acknowledged you as our brothers, and we're always fighting each other like enemies.
That's why, to mark the end of enmity, I decided to present you with these. You can eat whatever you want, here. Don't worry, Aunt Kunti is busy looking after Dushala. So, no one will object."
Excited thirteen-year-old Bhima immediately forgave Duryodhana and sat down before taking the plate of laddoos first and emptying it quickly. Just within fifteen minutes, Bhima had almost finished the amount of food that an adult elephant would eat.
Finally, he ate the Kheer, which is a type of milk pudding, while Prince Duryodhan was smiling evilly as his plan was going to work.
A few minutes later, as Bhima fainted due to the poison, Duryodhan dragged him and threw him into the lake according to the instructions of his maternal uncle, Shakuni, Prince of Gandhara Kingdom, because they found Bhima proved to be very strong and could become an iron wall in front of Yudhistira to protect him in the future when it's time.
For the next ten days, chaos ensued in the whole city of Hastinapur as the soldiers began to search for their missing prince.
While Duryodhana and his 98 brothers rejoiced secretly, the four Pandavas, sister Dushala, half-brother Yuyutsu, who was born of the King and a maid, and lastly Vikarna, the third son of King Dhritarashtra, mourned along with the elders, while Princess Kunti didn't eat a single grain of rice and was just praying to her god to return her son.
On the eleventh day, on Kunti's request, King Dhritarashtra announced an Annadhana - the sacred act of offering food to all the people. To their surprise, Bhima returned in the disguise of a son of some ascetic to eat the food and was found by her while she was serving the food personally.
When enquired, in public, Bhima only said his legs slipped because of slippery mud and somehow drowned in the lake, and was saved by a wandering Naaga, the snake tribe, who were living at the bottom of the lake peacefully.
Later, after hearing the truth from Bhima, Princess Kunti took her sons away and secretly tried to escape from the Kingdom as she deemed the Kauravas were dangerous, but was stopped by Bhishma, who promised her that he would protect each and every one, until Yudhistira, the eldest son, became the Crown Prince of Hastinapur.
Meanwhile, at Suryaloka;
The radiant palace buzzed with hurried footsteps and soft voices. Servants ran from one corridor to another, carrying trays of fresh flowers, golden lamps, and baskets filled with sweets still warm from the ovens.
In the main kitchen, Goddess Sangya stood at the center of it all. She tasted a spoonful, frowned slightly, added a pinch more cardamom, then tasted again. Her face looked thinner than it had twelve years ago, but her eyes shone with a light no one had seen in a long time.
Goddess Chhaya leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching her sister with a mix of curiosity and something sharper.
"Sister, what is all this rush? Don't tell me Yama and Yami are visiting again. Only then do you behave like this, cooking with your own hands and running around like the palace will fall if one dish is not perfect."
Sangya smiled without looking up.
She kept stirring, the wooden ladle moving in gentle circles.
"No, Chhaya. It's not Yama or Yami." Her voice softened, almost trembling with joy. "Did you forget? My Karna's twelve years of education are over. He is coming home soon."
Chhaya snorted quietly.
She stepped into the kitchen, picking up a small piece of jaggery from a plate and rolling it between her fingers.
"Seriously? You still haven't forgotten him after all these years? He left Suryaloka right after he learned he was mortal and that he wasn't even your son by birth. Do you really think nothing will change while he is away from you? You think he will be the same Karna who returns as your beloved son? Now that he is grown, strong, trained by Lord Parashurama himself… do you think he will still call this place home?"
Sangya's hand paused mid-stir.
The ladle stilled in the pot. She set it down slowly, turned to face her sister. Her eyes narrowed, "Chhaya, I have warned you before. Do not speak of my son like that. He is my son. Understand? Not even the Tridev has the right to say he is not mine. If you cannot accept that, then stay away from my son and me."
Chhaya's shadow flickered, darker for a moment, as if her own light had dimmed.
She stared at Sangya, lips pressed tight. Then she turned away, murmuring under her breath as she walked toward the door.
"What about my children, sister? I am your shadow, I'm your twin, and I raised your children. My children are as good as yours, yet you never cared even a little for my Shani and Bhadra. You always hated them, always tried to keep them away from their own home."
*
Back on Earth;
Far away, on the edge of the Mahendra Mountains, Karna stood alone on a high cliff.
The wind moved through his hair. He wore the same white cloth he had left in, though it was worn at the edges from mountain life.
He looked toward the horizon, toward the golden light that marked Suryaloka. Then he closed his eyes, joined his palms, and began to pray. Now that he parted his ways with his guru, it is time to return home.
"Om Suryaya Namah…"
A golden chariot appeared in the sky, pulled by seven horses whose manes shimmered like living flame. Lord Surya stood at the reins, his face breaking into a wide, proud smile the moment he saw his son.
Karna opened his eyes.
"Greetings, Father."
Surya leaped down from the chariot and crossed the distance in three steps.
He pulled Karna into a strong embrace. It was rare for Lord Surya, the most neutral god in the universe, to feel such emotion when reuniting with his mortal son, despite the fact that he regularly watched over Karna every day. Perhaps it is because Karna is the one who inherited his radiant qualities more than any of his other children.
When he pulled back, his hands stayed on Karna's shoulders, eyes searching his face as if memorizing every new line.
"Look at you," Surya said quietly. "Twelve years… and yet you stand taller than I remember."
Karna smiled, "I had a good guru, Father. And good memories to carry with me."
Surya laughed, "Come. Your mother is waiting. She has not slept properly for days."
They climbed onto the chariot together.
The seven horses snorted softly, as if greeting an old friend. The chariot lifted and turned toward the golden light of home.
When they reached Suryaloka, the palace gates opened wide.
Servants lined the entrance, heads bowed. Flowers rained gently from above with a quiet welcome. Sangya stood at the threshold with her hands clasped tight, eyes already wet. Chhaya lingered behind her, arms folded, expression unreadable.
Karna stepped down first.
He walked straight to Sangya, knelt, and touched her feet. "Mother… I'm back. How are you?"
Sangya's breath caught.
She pulled him up at once and wrapped her arms around him. Tears fell freely now, soaking into his shoulder.
"It's only been twelve years… yet I feel like countless eons have passed. Look at you... grown so tall, so strong. Have you eaten well? Have you slept well? Your father never answered any of my questions… always saying it was forbidden to use my power to check on you through the clouds. You must have struggled so much in those mountains…"